The Great Winter Coop Humidity/Ventilation Experiment! Post Your Results Here!

[Beekissed]

After the last two night's deluge of rain, I removed some leaf storage at the back of the coop that was possibly blocking good airflow into my roost section at the roof, added those two bags of leaves to the coop bedding, in preparation for tonight's drop into low teens or single digits.

 

[mobius]

@aart good idea n spread sheet and why not!

Here is my night/morning report:

11pm

Outside: 0F RH 75%

Coop: 14F RH 71%

Readings stabliized.

3 am (Woke up, rolled over and looked at gauges lol0
l
Outside: -2F RH 78%

Coop: 14F RH 72%

9 am (chickens still inside)

Outside 7F RH 87%

Coop: 18F RH 73%

I will post a few coop pics, and then I will get some pics of specific venting as requested. It is not fancy, but is is tweakable (open/close like pop door) which I like.

 

[mobius]

Above: Main coop and run. Run door open during day into much larger fenced area.

You will see that this coop is very protected on the W (house) and E sides (prevailing weather and wind come in from West (thank you Seattle)).

It is also located nearly against the house about two feet away so very protected and my chickens like the no snow zone between house and run, which is a raised planting bed they have now decimated (but that's ok).

Further, on the east side, there is quite a rise (about one story) up to a high retaining wall. So the coop is almost in a microclimate, or a U-shaped area, if that makes sense.

Just above the nesting box is the small glass window that lets in East morning light.

Below is inside of coop with window as mentioned (closed), two roosting bars (they are on the top one only), the pop door is there (open). To the right just below top roost level is an adjustable vent (not pictured) about the size of a floor vent. It is mostly closed at the moment.

Closed waterer in an extra nesting box and out of the way, now heated.

Pop door into run.




What I added: I got 3 inch round soffit vents. I put three of each into each of the eave overhangs underneath. The soffits are open to the inside of the coop. I put another soffit vent at the peak of the coop on the north side (vertical).

It doesn't seem like a LOT of ventilation, that is why I was testing it.

We would say the coop is not insulated but there is a lot of pins shavings and now straw on the floor of coop. Further, there are about eight inches of snow on the roof. Important to take this into account.

So far so good. I will see about taking pics of these vents to share.

 

[Mrs. K]

I use old waste hay. I pile it in deep, but really don't do the deep litter. In my old coop, where the ventilation was two window openings, below the ceiling by about a foot. Moisture was a big problem. Manure built up, frozen solid, and when that thawed, it needed to be pulled out. I never got sever frostbit, but did get some.

In my new coop, with the entire south ceiling edge open along the rafters, I get a much better ventilation. My roosts keep my birds away from the walls and ceiling. That with deep hay on the floor keeps things much dryer. Last year, some said to throw scratch on top of the hay once a week, and they will turn it for you. Worked a treat, keeping the top of the bedding much dryer.

-38 degrees last night, we will see how they did.

Mrs K

 

[Mrs. K]

Well no one is going out, even to have a look around. But they came through the night just fine. It is actually warmer than last night now, but the small breeze is pretty miserable. I am bundled to my eyelashes getting chores done.

I am upping their scratch the last few days. Soaking it in water, to up the liquid in them. None are laying, at this time I think energy is more important than protein. Today, at -20 in the daylight, I even added just a little lard. Tuesday it is suppose to be 40 above.

Mrs K

 

[Mrs. K]

Ridge runner - I am curious about the longevity of your birds. I am aware that you do harvest birds, but often times, we tend to get a favorite... if so, how long do they live? It just blows me away how people on here have birds that are 7 -10 years old. I have never come close.

Should probably have private messaged, do not mean to high jack this thread... to interesting.

Mrs K

 

[Mrs. K]

Ridge runner - I am curious about the longevity of your birds. I am aware that you do harvest birds, but often times, we tend to get a favorite... if so, how long do they live? It just blows me away how people on here have birds that are 7 -10 years old. I have never come close.

Should probably have private messaged, do not mean to high jack this thread... to interesting.

Mrs K

 

[mobius]

Well no one is going out, even to have a look around. But they came through the night just fine. It is actually warmer than last night now, but the small breeze is pretty miserable. I am bundled to my eyelashes getting chores done.

I am upping their scratch the last few days. Soaking it in water, to up the liquid in them. None are laying, at this time I think energy is more important than protein. Today, at -20 in the daylight, I even added just a little lard. Tuesday it is suppose to be 40 above.

Mrs K

I am amazed at the weather variations, you and @Beekissed and wow! Can't imagine some of the extremes of weather!

Mine are out of the coop, and it is mildly snowing here, drifting into the run a bit, and I found them all UNDER the coop in that nice protected area that I threw some straw at the other day (no snow there and another good way to keep warm)! They are creative and it is fun to watch! They came out for the warm FF but went right back under. They do have some suet in a feeder but not terribly interested. They WOULD like more scratch, I am certain of it.

Glad to hear chickens are fine....we can do this!

 

[Beekissed]

Above: Main coop and run. Run door open during day into much larger fenced area.

You will see that this coop is very protected on the W (house) and E sides (prevailing weather and wind come in from West (thank you Seattle)).

It is also located nearly against the house about two feet away so very protected and my chickens like the no snow zone between house and run, which is a raised planting bed they have now decimated (but that's ok).

Further, on the east side, there is quite a rise (about one story) up to a high retaining wall. So the coop is almost in a microclimate, or a U-shaped area, if that makes sense.

Just above the nesting box is the small glass window that lets in East morning light.

Below is inside of coop with window as mentioned (closed), two roosting bars (they are on the top one only), the pop door is there (open). To the right just below top roost level is an adjustable vent (not pictured) about the size of a floor vent. It is mostly closed at the moment.

Closed waterer in an extra nesting box and out of the way, now heated.

Pop door into run.




What I added: I got 3 inch round soffit vents. I put three of each into each of the eave overhangs underneath. The soffits are open to the inside of the coop. I put another soffit vent at the peak of the coop on the north side (vertical).

It doesn't seem like a LOT of ventilation, that is why I was testing it.

We would say the coop is not insulated but there is a lot of pins shavings and now straw on the floor of coop. Further, there are about eight inches of snow on the roof. Important to take this into account.

So far so good. I will see about taking pics of these vents to share.

Mobius, from what I can see of it, it looks like your place and structures are very pretty! Love that natural wood look on homes and buildings. It's nice to see what folks are talking about when they post about their coops and runs and such.

 

[mobius]

@Beekissed aww thanks for the nice compliment! HOA rules say any existing structure has to match the house (!) I guess it does! I wish it were bigger cause I am super-maxed on number of chickens, but I am relieved and pleased that even this small structure is working rather well. It is close to the front door but almost invisible from the road above, and it JUST fit into the space I had for it. Even though there is more land, it was most convenient to put this inside larger fenced front yard. Which gives chickens a lot more room to roam safely.

I wish the guy who made the coop knew as much about chicken keeping (ventilation, predator proofing, roost heights ) as he does about carpentry, but I fixed most of the problems over the summer learning as I went, and now I believe it is paying off. If anyone buys from a coop seller, ask them if they keep chickens.